Hawkins takes the stand in JQC hearing

Judge claims unfair portrayal, witnesses testify about her rules

12:51 AM,
Oct. 9, 2013

Judge Judith Hawkins, center, and her attorney, Gerald Kogan, left, speak with the opposing attorney during Hawkins's trial before a panel of the Florida Judicial Qualification Commission in Tallahassee, Fla on Monday, October 7, 2013.

Written by

Arek Sarkissian II
| Democrat staff writer

Leon County Judge Judith Hawkins took the stand on Tuesday to explain the ministry she runs is solely meant to help others and that her pursuit of justice in the courtroom has been unfairly portrayed as the behavior of a courtroom bully.

Hawkins also minimized any issue with her selling 40 copies of her book on Bible stories to judges, attorneys and court staff and admitted that posting pictures of herself in judge's robes to her ministry website was a mistake.

"If you talk about a judge who wants to make sure that defendants are judged fairly and justly - if that's an idiosyncrasy, yes, I'm ...